Three Vancouver pot shops given green light, first opens Saturday

Almost three months after legalization, Vancouver’s first three pot shops are officially a go.

A news release issued Friday afternoon said the three retailers have now met all the necessary civic and provincial requirements to legally operate in Vancouver.

Evergreen Cannabis Society is slated to become Vancouver’s first legal dispensary on Saturday, Jan. 5. (Photo by Jennifer Gauthier)

Evergreen Cannabis Society (2868 West Fourth Ave.) is first out of the gates and is slated to open Saturday, Jan. 5). The other locations on Robson and Fraser streets are run by City Cannabis Co., though there is no indication as to when those stores will open.

The province issued licences to all three retailers within the last two weeks, while the retail application process first went live in August last year.

All dispensaries will be supplied by the Liquor Distribution Branch, the province’s wholesale distributor of non-medical pot.

All Vancouver dispensaries require a municipal development permit, provincial licence and municipal business licence to operate.